Today’s interview is with Fred Nijm co-founder and CEO of Addoway, “an online marketplace for all things fashion, collectibles and much, much more.” Addoway is a very different concept in online shopping, and it’s doing very well. If you’re looking for just about anything, check out the site for merchants and individuals who have what you need and come highly recommended. But read the interview first! Fredrick Nijm has some great information to share about entrepreneurship, and you won’t want to miss it.
Fredrick Nijm
30-years-old
Co-founder of Addoway
Twitter: @addoway
When you started Addoway, you knew you were entering a market with some massive competition, including the likes of eBay. Obviously that didn’t discourage you. How did you know you could compete and win in the highly competitive online buying and selling space?
Competition will always be there and will continue to evolve over time. My co-founder and I believed and still do that if you have a dream no matter how big or small it will become a reality if you work hard enough at it and believe in what you are doing. Our competitors outside of eBay decided to go niche in order to compete with eBay, but we decided that we didn’t want to leave out all the other small-to-medium sized merchants who also wanted to leave, but couldn’t. We know we are going against the grain and taking the road less traveled, but the challenge of it all is so exciting. Our dream is too great a dream to be left as that. We have built something so great and know it will help buyers and sellers. I recently wrote a blog post about this very thing.
How are you using social media platforms, like Facebook and Twitter to promote your business? Overall, which marketing methods have you found most effective?
Twitter and Facebook have been our primary sources of driving awareness to the Addoway brand. We have met all of our Ambassadors who help spread the existence of our platform on Twitter and we couldn’t have done a lot of this without them. We focus on social commerce, so you have to believe we are going to be 100% focused on the social aspect as much as we are focused on the eCommerce piece. The most effective has been social media because it’s free and its potential is endless. We believe in the ROI and can track where our visitors and members come from. We also have found success with selling forums as well as commenting on other blogs and being invited to guest blog, because we built relationships through our comments and discussions. I have exchanged guest blog posts with multiple platforms and have been interviewed by over 10 eCommerce experts that I have met through Twitter. I have even been invited to give webinars on how to be successful selling online all through building relationships online. Be yourself and people will gravitate toward that.
You have a very strong sales and management background. Is Addoway your first entrepreneurial venture? Have you always wanted to be in business for yourself?
Addoway is my first entrepreneurial venture, but I have always wanted to create and run my own business. I was in the process of climbing the corporate ladder, but I just wanted more then what they could provide. I started selling when I was 7 years old. I used to grab the candy off my living room table at home and package them up in separate bags and bring them to school, so I could supplement my allowance. My mother used to think I had a sweets problem, but in fact I just wanted more money for toys.
What advice can you offer to a young entrepreneur hoping to launch an internet or technology startup?
Believe in yourself throughout all the doubt and challenges that will eventually face you. When the road gets challenging sit back and remember why you are creating your venture. You were meant for something bigger and greater. Don’t let others make you believe that you can’t accomplish anything you want in life. This world is ours and the choices we make are ours. You are the only one who can start and stop your dreams. This is your adventure and yours to live. Don’t let someone else deter you from that. And outside of that find yourself a mentor to coach you through it all. They have been where you are going.
How do you define success?
Success is a combination of many things for me. Strong family, great friends, love of life and love of those you surround yourself with, working for your dreams and having the freedom to follow your dreams, and helping others find their true definition of success in their life. My true passion in life is to be a motivational speaker. I believe that positive energy and the right attitude consistent over time will lead you to success. I coined the term EATING to success after I lost 120lbs 5 years ago and hope to finish my book in the coming years. Whatever your definition of success is – go accomplish it and surround yourself with individuals with your same value system.
Matthew Toren is an Award Winning Author, Serial Entrepreneur, and Investor. He Co-Founded YoungEntrepreneur.com along with his brother Adam. Matthew is co-author of the newly released book:Small Business, Big Vision: “Lessons on How to Dominate Your Market from Self-Made Entrepreneurs Who Did it Right” and also co-author of Kidpreneurs.
Hi I Got more energy after reading this Interview. Peoples like Fredrick Nijm are only the real heroes in the Real world. He is really a smart worker, rather than a Hard worker. Love this. BTW thanks to YE for this wonderful Interview. Cheers.
Fredrick Nijm has inspired me to continue living my dream. I share many of his passions for life and success.
I am a business owner, who has with stood failure after failure. Without failure I would not know the meaning of success.
@Leticia & Manikandan: Fredrick Nijm is certainly an inspiration, isn’t he? We love profiling entrepreneurs who motivate people to pursue their dreams.
Thanks for sharing!
Thank you so much for the kind words everyone and thank you YE for wanting to sit down with me. Life is full of so many opportunities…it doesn’t matter how many times you don’t succeed. All that matters is that you never stop trying.